What they said: John Mallinger

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MORE INTERVIEWS: U.S. Bank Championships in Milwaukee transcript archive

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: John Mallinger thanks for joining. Tough finish, but I'm sure you have to take a lot of positives, maybe not tonight, but I'm sure tomorrow and this week you'll take many positives from a very good week this week, runner-up to Bo Van Pelt at the U.S. Bank Championship. Maybe some comments from you, please.

JOHN MALLINGER: I'll take a lot of positives out of this. I'm just a little disappointed right now. I felt like I was kind of in the driver's seat coming in after I made eagle on 15 and birdie on 16, kind of a bad lie on 17, actually made a pretty good bogey, and then made birdie to get in the playoff.

So I did as much as I could. Bo had two great shots on 18 in the playoff. Hats off to him. He played great. That's just where it is. I've been here a lot. I think eventually it's going to happen, I don't know when but hopefully sooner than later.

Q. The playoff, especially the second run-through, once he got on the green, it seemed like he was pretty much in the lead.

JOHN MALLINGER: Well, I wouldn't say so. You know, it's a hole you should birdie every time. Him being on the green didn't mean much to me. I was kind of in-between clubs. I went with a shorter one and I knew I probably should have went with a bigger one, just hit a little cut in there. But that's just the way it is. It's a good thing I was comfortable. I wasn't out of my league. I didn't feel like I shouldn't belong there. That's the good stuff I can take out of this.

Q. That first playoff hole, the 13-foot putt for eagle and looked like nerves had got to him, did you think the door had re-opened?

JOHN MALLINGER: A little bit, yeah, as soon as you make a putt, you kind of get some momentum. I hit my iron off the tee down the middle again and he hit two great shots from there. Both times, he was within 20 feet, so that's pretty impressive.

You know, there's not much else I can say. Just a little disappointed with the finish but that's the way it is. I played as well as I could and as hard as I could, and I'm going to get ready for next week.

Q. When you're out here grinding and for him to win -- do you feel like another chance might not come along for you?

JOHN MALLINGER: I wouldn't say that. I think there's going to be a lot of chances for me. I think I'm going to be there a lot. I consider myself a Top-50 player in the world. That's my goal and that's where I want to be. Every time I tee it up, I try to win. That's kind of been my goal since I started out here.

Q. Can you just talk about the sand trap, did it not come out the way you wanted? Did you have a good lie?

JOHN MALLINGER: It wasn't a bad lie. Unfortunately the bunkers out here are a little inconsistent. Some are firm and some have got some stand in them. That one had a little more sand. A little longer bunker shot with sand and stuff, obviously it wasn't a great shot, but it doesn't mean the hole is over. I can still make a putt and put some pressure on him.

Q. How big was the emotional roller coaster on the back nine, especially jumping up into hunt right there?

JOHN MALLINGER: I didn't feel uncomfortable. I felt completely composed and I felt like my game was there. I hit good shots coming in. Besides 17, I really didn't play any bad holes. That was my only bogey. I shot 65 in the final round, and I played as well as I could.

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: John Mallinger, thank you very much.